ST How Has the ST Affected Your Interest in Star Wars?

Hi, I'm interested in the long term effects the ST has had on people. For me, despite some of the future projects looking good, I've mostly lost interest in Star Wars. Two main reasons for this: 1) the ST repeating too much past iconography in too uncreative a fashion, so much so that I don't feel an interest in watching it for its own sake, and 2) the handling of Luke Skywalker.

Future films and shows could obviously address my first reason; they could create new iconography that makes me desire to watch them, or they could repeat past imagery in a way that feels new and exciting. However, even so, I'd still feel a lack of interest for reason 2; after a company is willing to destroy one of their main, beloved characters in a fashion that makes me dislike the story, and also, in a way that seems illogical and artificial to me, I simply have little motivation to try out a whole new set of characters, to invest anytime in characters who future writers can simply conveniently destroy if it suits their short term goals.

Anyway, I want to see how many people feel the same, and maybe I want to see if there's any hope for my attitude changing. I'd love to retain an interest in one of my favorite worlds, but right now it just seems pointless.

PRO EDIT: Let's be clear. This thread will not be used to insist anyone defend their position one way or the other. There is no right answer. Anyone is free to elaborate if they want, but no pressuring, and keep it friendly.

 

After the post-NJO, a fresh start could have rekindled my love, but then the ST came along (even worse than the post-NJO) and stomped it out for good. I might have gotten back into the EU after several years away, I was hoping the new movies would provide a spark (lol), but then I saw TFA and decided not to bother with any of it. There's really nothing from the ST that interests me, not even the old characters I once loved.

It's amazing how the ST basically ruined all the old characters. It's amazing that they took Han, Luke, and even Yoda and made them unappealing. They brought back Chewie only to do nothing with him. I liked Carrie as Leia (if not the character herself in the ST), she has her moments when I can see the old spark in her, but then Carrie died. Not the ST's fault (or maybe it is), but she's gone and the character died with her.

 

Strengthend significantly. I am very excited for TROS, and the future for Star Wars. It’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan!!

 

It's weird.

If I considered the ST representative of the whole of the new Disney product, it'd be a problem.

As it is? It isn't. The other era products are streets ahead of their ST equivalents.

If I look to the PT too, it isn't greatest set of films but it sparked a whole lot of stories I really enjoyed, which in turn helped those films too. The same might happen with the ST, once TROS is out and the restrictions lifted on other medium material, but the problematic elements will remain, albeit diminished. That's probably the best I can hope for.

 

I think seeing the aging OT characters prompted me to return more frequently to the post-ROTJ books in the EU timeline. When I imagine Grand Master Luke from the latest points in the EU timeline, I now picture something resembling TLJ Luke rather than the unconvincingly middle-aged Luke often used on the books' cover art. That aside, the ST hasn't really deepened my engagement with Star Wars. I think Rogue One and Solo did, though.

 

I think the big problem I've had with the ST is that they felt the need to follow in the footsteps of the EU novels, starting with "Vector Prime". Specifically, I mean the need to go "darker & edgier & grittier" in the story. It's not enough that, eventually, another group of bad guys arrived and the galaxy was in peril. They had to make things so dark & tragic that it's like the good guys' efforts were utterly in vain. The ST went even further, showing that our heroes directly fouled things up, leaving the new heroes to clean up the mess.
I'm not saying this has ruined the whole franchise for me. I can easily just ignore the stories I don't like. But this is the first time I'm not really excited about the upcoming release of a "Star Wars" movie. My anticipation of upcoming movies was, previously, an emotional response. ("I can't wait to see the new one! What's going to happen next?") Now, my anticipation of TROS is pretty much just intellectual. ("They really wrote themselves into a corner. How are they going to fix it?")
As far as upcoming projects are concerned, I'm really not sure. Outside of the ST, I liked "Rogue One", and "Solo" is my favorite of the Disney Era projects. But the ST has kind of dampened my hopes for the future, for now. I'll have to wait and see how TROS turns out to know for sure if we're on the verge of an upswing.

 

Probably interested me more.

To quote a friend, it's not like the EU was bad...I just didn't care....and now I do.

 

It hasn't made me like the old films less BUT
it makes me a bit sad that Luke and Han regressed so much after growing so much in the OT. Yes characters have obstacles and regress but for them to regress so much...yikes.

 

I didn't realize you wrote fan fics. I'll check them out when I get the chance.

 

I wish we all had this view on things.

 

Yep.

I know one of my philosophies is that so long as someone like's it (It at this point being the ST) then it did it's job and I'm happy for those people.

 

youre both wrong. and I'm right. neener neener

 

Do you mind being more specific about why the ST has strengthened your interest in Star Wars?

Others above have said Rogue One or Solo have strengthened their interest, but I'm not sure I've heard anyone explain that the ST has done so.

Sure, this is true, and yet doesn't it concern you that LFL is willing to treat characters like Luke Skywalker as they have?

To me that suggests no character is safe from such treatment (poor writing for short term needs).

The only equivalent I can think of is if DC intentionally thought they had to get rid of Superman or Batman in order to move forward. Or if Marvel said "we're done with mutants and Spiderman."

It's very backwards thinking, IMO. I don't actually believe LFL has much idea of what to do with Star Wars. They have a vague idea that it can work in many genres, but that's about it.

The idea that Luke Skywalker, who was already a deconstruction of the traditional macho, violent hero, needed to be deconstructed, shows me we have a bunch of confused people in charge of the story.

 

Sure.

The ST has resulted in two films that I feel have done a great job of continuing the Skywalker Saga. It has allowed us to see old familiar things/people, while also introducing new characters. For me, Rey and Kylo Ren have really worked well, especially in TLJ. That focus and dynamic between them has me extremely excited for TROS. I also really enjoyed seeing Luke again in TLJ, and thought they gave him a legendary send off. Luke on crait was the epitome of what Luke Skywalker was in the OT. It gave a lengwndary character an amazing send off, and now allows for us to focus on our new characters heading into the last film.

I also was not a fan of the majority of the legends material. The ST has been better story telling IMO, and there is nothing better than seeing Star Wars on the big screens again. It hasn’t been perfect, but I enjoy it and am thrilled to be getting more. I think some were let down that Luke Skywalker didn’t come out in TLJ with ole green mowing down the FO. But that wouldn’t have fit him as a character. So as a Luke fan, he was given a storybook ending. Kylo Ren could end up being my favorite Star Wars character by the end of this, so once again glad he was introduced.

For me Rogue One has been the only mis step for Disney with the Star Wars films so far. I thought TLJ, TFA, and Solo were all great.

 

So you weren't a fan of a fan of the Legends material but like a trilogy which contains elements that are just Legends concepts done far worse?

 

I obviously don’t think they are worse.

 

My interest in SW as an ongoing series is hanging on by a thread. I'll watch Episode IX for the sake of completion, but I don't really care what happens to Rey or Kylo. Maybe I'll give the Johnson trilogy a chance. Not interested at all in those TV series they announced or whatever the Game of Thrones guys are doing.

 

Weakened considerably.

It never was work before to still enjoy the OT. Now it is because I have to make myself forget I saw the ST. The PT never had that effect and I still don`t like TPM at all.

And I`ve yet to work up an interest in seeing Solo, despite it not being connected to the ST (well, aside from the overdone "look at the dice", I know about that) but the thought of checking out new SW content right now is daunting. I`ve lost faith in the current production team completely.

Obviously TROS is a no-go because more Rey and especially Kylo? No, thank you.

 

Let's just say, we'll always have the Lucas movies.

 

This aspect is hugely problematic and baffling to me in equal measure. Yet, I can't do anything about it so I've moved on. In response to, what for me, was TLJ's taking a flamethrower to SW, I've focused on other aspects.

As to how I view TLJ, in term of Luke, I'll put it this way: When Transformers: Age of Extinction is doing a better story of lost faith with Optimus Prime than TLJ does with Luke, that's a problem!

For me, the ST to date shows limited awareness of the serial aspect of SW. TLJ was applauded by critics sure, but the bulk of reviews seemed to treat it as a movie in isolation, with little consideration in how it fits in - or doesn't - with the other movies.

Profit is assured, I agree, but how much it continues to be I'm not so certain about. For all I loved both Rogue One and Solo, neither got anywhere near what TFA / TLJ did. Numbered films, with a Skywalker focus, seem to be what gets the most attention. After TROS that's gone. I have no idea how much of the audience will transfer to non-Skywalker stories - but the spin-off films suggest not as much as Disney would like.

In this respect, it would appear Star Wars is not Star Trek, which has long since moved beyond its original characters.

 

@Jedi Ben

The real test will be when (Or if) the new stuff comes B&W and Rian, and that won't be after a three year break, which could help in terms of no big stakes Star Wars for a while.

Mandalorian is getting a Season 2 so at least that's kinda guarateed for anyone who likes it, and the Disney + stuff won't be 100% reliant on Star Wars.

So it will be a very interesting 3 years ...and that's not taking into account how TROS will shape the debate.

Though i'm kinda glad for the 3 year break to be honest because it's nice to break...Although I might eat my words because i could easily see it be maddening.